The present invention is directed toward cleaning and filtering indoor air. The invention is more particularly directed to reducing harmful chemicals to greatly lowered levels, including eliminating cigarette smoke, pollen and unwanted odors. More specifically, the directed toward a self-cleaning air filter system using a bio regenerative principle wherein the filtering media does not need replacing.
Typical mechanical air filtering systems for filtering indoor ambient air pass the air through a filter media. Usually the medium consists of a mineral or electrostatic type filter, or other absorbent organic or inorganic fibrous mat. However, typically these filtering systems either need to be replaced, cleaned or disassembled after a period of use.
The present invention is directed toward a system does not require costly filter replacements as in conventional air cleaning systems. The present invention seeks to provide an improved means for using a recently developed concept in an efficient improved manner.
It is an object of the invention to provide an effective economical and ecologically desirable filtering mechanism that combines activated carbon and other filtering media known in the art with living plants and microorganisms which serve to reduce and eliminate odors and pollutants in the air.
It is a significant goal of the invention to improve upon prior bio regenerative systems which allowed for only one way airflow whereby to provide a filtering apparatus wherein the air to be filtered is drawn down through the filtering media or alternately may be forced upward through the media.
It is further a goal of the invention to utilize an adsorptive filtering material for trapping and holding indoor pollutants. In connection with this goal, it is further a goal of the invention to utilize the said currently developed concept whereby the plant roots and microorganisms living around roots of plant convert harmful pollutants into harmless food for the plant as would be understood by a biomechanical engineer or biologist.
It is a further goal of the invention to, upon the removal of odors, harmful chemicals and other airborne pollutants by the filtering media and plant roots, to return the filtered air in a clean form to the room.
It is also an allied goal of the invention to utilize the plant roots and microorganisms feeding off the trapped air pollutants to continuously clean the filtering media. In conjunction with this goal, it is desirable to provide an apparatus that allows for a plant to be grown hydroponically wherein no growing soil, or the like, is used for the plant and a filtering media is provided adjacent the root system.
Previous devices have attempted to use this bio regeneration concept but have had deficiencies in effectively achieving that goal.
It is therefore a goal of the invention to improve upon previous mechanisms using this principle.
It is yet another goal of the invention to improve upon prior bio regenerative types of systems by providing an apparatus wherein all the assembly to the base motor housing is done from the top. It is an allied goal to provide an improved plant pot that is not fastened onto the base and which may be easily removed or rotated.
It is yet still another related goal of the invention to provide the option of using a fiber filter for, or in addition to, an air screen for filtering larger particles and wherein this optional filter may be easily replaced separate from disturbing in any way the primary filtering media.
It is also a target of the invention to provide a safety screen in connection with an air disk over the base assembly to prevent someone from placing hands or fingers near the fan blade and conjunctively also to prevent debris and other unwanted particles from entering the motor housing.